For latest version: please go to https://academicentrepreneurship.pubpub.org/pub/nsfposnk/release/2 Invention is not an innate skill available to only a select few; it can be learned. Defining the need is the first step to determining the solution. A need statement helps define the problem concisely. Need specification is critical to defining the attributes required for device success. Invest in ideas that have the best chance of success by considering the market size, reimbursement pathways, and technology gaps. An algorithmic approach can be used in the stages of invention.